Benghazi Hearings Highlights – September 17, 2014

Highlights of Trey Gowdy and the Benghazi Hearings – September 17, 2014

Gowdy stated that he was hopeful that the hearings would rely on the facts, and not sink to the level of partisan politics, acknowledging that many questioned the need for a special committee.

He asked his colleagues to remain open to the facts uncovered by the Committee.

“I would rather run the risk of answering a question twice than run the risk of not answering it once,” he said. “I am willing to reconsider previously held beliefs in light of new facts and evidence, and I would encourage my colleagues and others to do the same.”

It was the duty of Congress, he explained, to investigate and report the details of the attacks to the American people.

“The people that we work for yearn to see the right thing done for the right reasons, and in the right way,” he said. “So to fulfill the duties owed to those we serve and in honor of those who were killed, maybe, just maybe, we can be what those four brave men were, neither Republican nor Democrat – just Americans – and pursue the facts and justice no matter where that journey takes us.”

Statement from Benghazi Select Committee Communications Director

“As Chairman Gowdy has said, he is willing to risk answering the same question twice rather than risk it not be answered at all. Since all documents responsive to Congressional inquiries into the Benghazi terrorist attack have not been produced, it is fair to say that not all questions have been asked and answered.

“Chairman Gowdy is leading a fair, fact-based and impartial investigation. The Committee will consider all evidence, across all jurisdictions, and produce the final, definitive accounting on behalf of Congress of what happened before, during and after the terrorist attacks on our facilities in Benghazi.

“Chairman Gowdy sincerely hopes that all sides will not prejudge the outcome of the investigation—before even the Committee’s first hearing, which is on a topic suggested by the Democrats—and instead allow a constructive and thorough investigatory process that produces a final report on Benghazi that is beyond any doubt. Chairman Gowdy is committed to a process and result worthy of the sacrifice of the four Americans who were killed in Benghazi and worthy of the trust of our fellow citizens.”

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton issued a statement today on the Select Committee on Benghazi, which will have its first hearing today, Wednesday, September 17, at 10 a.m. on the implementation of the State Department’s Benghazi Accountability Review Board (ARB) recommendations. The Select Committee was appointed as the direct result of Judicial Watch’s uncovering emails showing White House orchestration of the knowingly false narrative that the Benghazi attack was due to an Internet video and spontaneous protests. The documents were obtained through federal court order obtained by Judicial Watch in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

(With respect to today’s hearing, Judicial Watch has analyzed and found wanting the ARB report.)

Chaired by Trey Gowdy (R-SC), the Select Committee is holding its first hearing on Benghazi since the Select Committee was appointed in May. Fitton said:

I am pleased that the work of Judicial Watch had led to this historic first hearing on the Select Committee on Benghazi. The four heroes murdered that day – Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty – deserve the honor of full transparency and accountability from the government that failed them.

We want the full truth about what happened on September 11, 2012 – both in Benghazi and in the White House. President Obama’s despicable failures and lies were covered up long enough to ensure his reelection but Obama’s Benghazi stonewall is crumbling.

We hope that the Committee will employ its broad powers to answer the many unanswered questions about the Benghazi attack. Truth fears no inquiry. But the Obama administration is in full cover-up mode on Benghazi, so the Committee must be prepared to take politically difficult steps to get around the obstruction.

Judicial Watch will not be standing down. Judicial Watch just last week announced the filing of three new FOIA lawsuits, including one to get to the bottom of Hillary Clinton’s role in Benghazi. We suspect our independent watchdog efforts will provide key leads for yet another congressional inquiry.

Judicial Watch has now filed 40 FOIA requests, a Mandatory Declassification Review, and seven lawsuits against the Obama administration relating to the Benghazi terrorist attack.

Exclusive disclosures by Judicial Watch include photos of the Benghazi compound attack aftermath; various records about security contracts and gaps in Benghazi; documents related to administration’s efforts to lie to Congress and the American people about the attack; and emails detailing specific reports that the State Department was receiving as the attack was taking place (including a State Department email detailing intelligence that Ambassador Stevens may have been alive at a Benghazi hospital).

Judicial Watch also produced an exclusive investigative news story questioning the handling of the Benghazi investigation by outgoing House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rodgers (R-MI)

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Albert Milliron is the founder of Politisite. Milliron has been credentialed by most major news networks for Presidential debates and major Political Parties for political event coverage. Albert maintains relationships with the White House and State Department to provide direct reporting from the Administration’s Press team. Albert is the former Public Relations Chairman of the Columbia County Republican Party in Georgia. He is a former Delegate.
Milliron is a veteran of the US Army Medical Department and worked for Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Psychiatry.